He’s The World’s Greatest… And You Clearly; You Are Not.

Now, I may not attend as many of my children’s school events as I should. I have come to discover as they get older, and the size of the proceedings invariably becomes larger it quite simply becomes to taxing on me. Don’t ask me to explain it, because I can’t. All I know is the larger the crowd and the more noise/commotion involved the greater the odds are I am going to fall victim to the situation. Take my word for it, when facing the prospect of fighting a wave of drowsiness that is guaranteed to get the best of you and take with it some measure of your mobility etc, the last place you want to be is in a crowd. You then become at the mercy of anyone your with and reliant on their aid – in short it stirs up the feelings of being a burden. Especially if it means whoever you’re with has to miss out on things worrying about or helping take care of you.

Granted, I know without question that my loving and capable wife could handle the situation wonderfully (she has time and again). Be that as it may though, there is the lingering subconscious issue of how others will see you. Not to mention the possibility you might frighten the children present who may not understand why a grown man suddenly is acting very strange.  

For some time I tried to be there for everything I could before I started to realize the strain it was taking. There have been times I had to be escorted out or politely excuse myself to try to stubbornly try to hide my dilemma out of sight. Over time I have simply come to the conclusion that I must select my appearances carefully. So when my son was going to be graduating from Kindergarten after struggling with some issues of his own I decided it was a warranted visit.

Typically I try to stick to the smaller events that almost always guarantee a smaller crowd. When I considered my decision I failed to remember that this ceremony was not such an event. Specifically, if it means the use of the gym to accommodate the crowd I try to avoid it if possible. Call it sensory overload if you wish, but once I get into a large group of closely approximated people its murder on me.

But, I can safely attest that I was victorious in my visit. I managed to witness my son graduate, sing a few songs and basically be very proud of him. I should point out that one of the main songs they sang was one ‘The World’s Greatest’ by R. Kelly, which he really seemed to get into.

However, the whole experience wasn’t completely pleasant, and I’d like to point out something that particularly upset me. While I struggled in order to attend the program, I was utterly ashamed at some of the other self-proclaimed ‘adults.’ In order to maintain a safe environment for the children and a level of responsibility in the event of an emergency the school wisely limits entry to the building to a single point of entry. Upon entering the premises it is clearly noted that you are required to sign in and leave your I.D. This is not only a required safety measure it is a minor action that should be common sense to any self-respecting parent. We want our children safe and to know that if something bad did happen that at the very least a record exists to identify any visitors present.

Instead of bearing witness to such responsible behavior I had to set and continually remind myself to resist the urge to give my mouth any liberty. One such example was a grown man lamenting the need to sign in or leave his identification. This self-same individual went on to profess that he wondered if he should have surrendered his gun as well. Proclaiming that such practices meant that we were being treated like terrorists.

For starters common sense alone dictates that it is absolutely irresponsible to even consider taking a gun into a building full of children. I love guns, I own guns – but part of being a gun owner isn’t just the right to do so, it is the inherent responsibility it involves. While I have children and guns I have never left the two in close proximity. I cannot imagine the desire to take a loaded gun into a place packed with not just my own kids but others as well. But then again I am not a trained expert engaging in a duty to safeguard the lives of others either.

And yet, sitting only a few feet from me was an agitated man who was unabashedly claiming that he had a gun in a school full of kids to watch a kindergarten graduation. WHY? For what purpose would you possibly think to bring a loaded weapon into an event full of 6 year-old's? What could threaten you so much about listening to them sing and smile as they show how proud of themselves they are? And for that matter, even if you did do so; why in the world would you be ranting about it so everyone could hear?

This wasn’t the sole experience I had this morning that has bothered me all day either. It was but one, another example was being forced to listen to a man behind me lash out at a small child demanding to know ‘just what the #$!! is wrong with you?’  The child hadn’t even made a sound.

I am almost ashamed to call myself fellow parent alongside the likes of some these people. Whatever happened to acting with respect and decency in public? As an adult you are not only a role model for your own children but others as well. While watching my son sing his song I couldn’t agree more with the words; he was the world’s greatest in his behavior. He was polite, patient and respectful up there on the stage. I wish I could say the same for more of the audience, but then again perhaps it’s not that unusual. In any case I know that as my children get older I may have to check my impulsive ill-restrained mouth at the door along with my I.D.

I can only tolerate so much, and we were in a school after all. If we don’t behave ourselves then how can we ever expect our children to do so as they get older? I shudder to think what would happen to me even at my age if I behaved in such a manner in public if my wife or my parents found out. I would like to think that I was raised better than that…

Luck Of The Claw - Episode 50.

- Episode 50 -

Baron Samael watched from the waiting shadows, Thatch and Cobble silently in tow behind him.
The fearsome dark magic infused dragons had withdrawn from the potent defenses of the Keep's wards that even now were still flickering. Such a powerfully spell-crafted barrier would be near impossible to breach by brute force, it would take some time and careful preparation to subvert it. Time was something he had, even if it did strain his patience. Yes, indeed, if he was to get his hands on that dragon or reclaim what those meddling brats had stolen from him he would wait.

And as for those rogue forces from the Vault, perhaps they could be yet mastered and guided to serve him. "Thatch, Cobble; it looks like you may yet be able to avoid your fates for failing me," the Baron coldly cooed. Both of his cowardly cohorts gulped down their fear as they tried not to imagine what that might entail.

"We have work to do, so very much to prepare for, come," Baron Samael bid them with a gesture as the empty air shifted and transformed briefly around them. When next Thatch or Cobble looked around them they found the familiar stone walls of FrostThorn Tower awaiting them and a strange tingle lingering in their skin. It was a rare enough experience that neither knew what to make of it - the Baron never had been known to use his magic to transport anyone other than himself.

But as the pair allowed themselves a sigh of relief for managing to return to the Tower intact and not in some other twisted form they couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. After a few long moments of being left alone it slowly started to sink in; aside from the Baron they were alone in FrostThorn Tower. Where had everyone else gone? Terror tickled it's way back up both Thatch and Cobble's spine until they both found themselves shivering.

"Until I can restock myself with suitable materials, you two will see to the various tasks required. Cobble, you'll find those interesting beasts below; see to it that they are fed and secured. Thatch, you will bring to me every tome and journal I have so that I may research a few things. Go on now, to work with you," Baron Samael ordered them.

The Baron, already beginning to become lost in contemplation, marked the exit of his misfortune minions. "Time for a few experiments I think," he quietly remarked to himself. The image of Lady Adriana crying out in pain like some savage beast warmed him inside as he recalled the scene had just witnessed. His only regrets were two-fold; that he hadn't delivered the blows himself and that he had been able to see her lifeless corpse. Instead Baron Samael would just have to treasure the look on the creature's face as he turned his focus on new plans.

---

Meanwhile, back in Oakhelm Keep; Trinity was struggling to make sense of a sudden ripple of magic beyond the wards marking a cast spell. Moments ago someone, or something had been out there unnoticed and now only the lingering echo of dissipating magic remained to confirm it's presence. Her mind raced to try and make some sense of what it could mean but Trinity had grown too tired; she couldn't think of anything.

"I think I should warn you," Trinity started to explain to everyone. "This is far from over," Mal interrupted her as he cautiously started to re-sheath his sword. "Those dragons will be back, if not here they will be waiting to seek us out elsewhere," the old knight declared. "Then we will be ready for them," Camden added proudly as he patted Silver-Claws affectionately on the neck.

"It looks to me like not only has my best knight returned to me but that he has brought with him three new heroes to safeguard the realm," King Rainborne mused thoughtfully. "I'd say we are in the best possible hands," Tonniel added as he slapped Mal on the back playfully.

"Fates favor us all," Mal prayed as he looked into the eyes of both Camden and Trinity. Something told him they were going to need all the help they could get.

Luck Of The Claw - Episode 49.

- Episode 49 -

Trinity had flung the wards of Oakhelm Keep up in a hurry, seeking to return them in time to halt the assault of their fearsome foes. But when the powerful barrier burst back to life she marked an obvious difference; it's more elastic form wasn't just resisting them, it was driving them back. Instead of acting like a hardened shield the protective magic was rebounding any force used against them to push back.

The spell woven shield had sprang to life and as it whipped outwards it had cast everything away from them with it. An almost audible crack could be heard, even as it was felt, as the black scaled beast before them was the first to be hit hard by the spreading wards. The force of the impact lifted it clear from it's feet and jerked it backwards as it carried it with it.

In the air, dragons collided with it in a cascade of chaos and shock to find themselves forced out. Camden watched in his own moment of mystery as the sky cleared to the returning enchanted light before finding Silver-Claws swooping under to catch him. Immediately he pushed aside all questions that tried to form in his mind save one and directed the dedicated dragon to head for his sister.

As Mal and Tonniel watched with clearing eyes they caught sight of their opponents as the Keep's ancient defenses washed the outwards in a wave of wispy light. Neither dropped their guard, instead returning to a defensive stance as they studied the creatures reaction. "This may not be over yet," Mal warned Camden as he and Silver-Claws landed just behind them.

"Are you alright Trin," Camden shot the question out, the only possible one of worth to him as soon as he was close enough to speak it. "It should hold for now I think," Trinity replied absently to them, her eyes blankly gazing at the distance. "Thank you for distracting them, I had to alter the wards somewhat, but I think if given time I might be able to rebuild them completely."

"Trinity," Camden called to his sister once more, an edge of frustration in his voices tone. "I don't care about the blasted magical light show; I asked you if you was okay!" The notion of her brother actually concerned about her startled Trinity, and she had to look in her brother's eyes before she could believe it.

"Yeah, Cam, I'm fine," Trinity explained softly, surprised by Camden's unusual show of emotion. "But you shouldn't be worrying about me, we have more important things to deal with right now." While all four of them watched the barrier kept flashing against repeated attacks only to see it spring back into place over and over.

Slowly the menacing mob began to circle the Keep as the creatures paused longer and longer between strikes. After a while it seemed like silence had returned to the night breeze once more. Perhaps they had actually accomplished it, just maybe they had driven the tainted creatures into fleeing. Even if that were the case, it wasn't something Mal could consider a victory.

Luck Of The Claw - Episode 48.

-Episode 48 -

Silver-Claws had been bravely battling the pernicious pack, but he was only a single dragon; it was only ever going to be a matter of time before his out numbered adversaries wore him down. Camden watched seemingly helpless as his newest friend tired in his struggle to outmaneuver the other dragons only to see them still circling. Below them his eye caught a sudden flicker of movement drawing his attention; one of the other dragons was rushing up from below to sneak attack Silver-Claws!

Camden had to do something, he refused to let his friend go down like this. Especially not after all that he had done to protect them, how he had bravely fought to buy Trinity the time she needed. Suddenly Camden released his grip upon the dragon's back and flung himself down to meet the upwardly rushing assault. He fell through the whipping wind his stout blade held squarely before him gripped by both hands. Like a spear thrust down he ripped into the dragon's waiting flesh, a scream trailing off as his breath left him.

The sudden halting of his flight downward was far more of a shock than Camden could have ever expected. Even if he had thought about it ahead of time - which he didn't. His only concern was to buy his sister the time she needed but he wasn't about to sacrifice Silver-Claws just to do it. It was odd, really, it hadn't occurred to him to consider that in saving the sapphire scaled sentinel that he would be himself would be helpless against gravity.

A screech overhead alerted him that his friend had found him missing from his back, but Camden had no idea if the desperate dragon could make the dive in time to save him. The wounded dragon slipped free from his blade as the two fell together back towards the earth.

Beneath them, Mal pivoted and shifted his weight to throw himself towards the beasts chest placing his back towards it. The Marshal's Edge rippled with lightning as it danced along the blade in answer to some subtle trigger from it's master. Mal brought the broad blade into a sweeping slash trained on the creature's claws, his steel seeking to sever them.

Neatly his masterfully made blade found waiting flesh to seize upon as it unleashed a portion of it's potent power to rip through and remove both hands. However, throwing himself into the strike Mal had been forced to drop his defenses for a moment. It was a calculated risk, the experienced champion knew it, but it was necessary; he couldn't risk the king's life. He did have a duty to preform after all.

Even with agony flooding it's way to engulf the monster that had been Lady Adriana, rage still fueled it's attack pressing it's teeth to repay the man who had again brought pain to it. But Tonniel had never been a fool, he had always know his dear old mentor's mind; the wise warrior would always place his life before his king's. So he had anticipated Mal's reaction, and following upon his old instructor's lead he launched his own bold blade into a tactically placed thrust.

The shinning steel cleanly pierced the beasts blackened hide beneath the jaw and slid upwards to seek it's brains. In a blinding flash light erupted around them spreading outward, bringing with it both a wave of hope as well as confusion. Had his strike rang true? King Rainborne had no way of knowing, the wards had washed over and through him leaving his sight dazzled. For what seemed like an infinitely long moment he could only fight to clear his mind as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. Was it over?

Luck Of The Claw - Episode 47.

- Episode 47 -

The music of life itself flowed all around Trinity, she could hear it, see it; feel it's delicate warmth. There was a pure power here, running through the runes it seemed so simple and yet it was so very beautiful. Soft strands of light were in tatters though, frayed and scorched. There was so much damage to the ancient wards they just simply couldn't cover an area the size they once had.

She knew that she would have to do something, but rebuilding the entire series of wards was far beyond the scope of anything she could manage right now, especially rushing. No, she was going to have to find a way to reweave what she could of the working barrier and protect what she could. There was no way it would cover everything, but just maybe she could cover enough.

Quick as she could she grabbed at the pearl and ivory wisps and set herself to finding everything she could salvage. As she worked a strange memory puzzled it's way into her mind, it was a fragmented thing from long ago. Something she barely remembered from when she was little, it was a trick some kindly lady had shown her once to keep her busy.

The image played out inside her as she absently worked her hands to rearrange the strands of woven magic. It was thing of amusement, a simple construct of interlocking meshed yarn or string. But for a child it was a thing of wonder, when compressed it was just a ball of unassuming mess. When pulled outwards it sprang to life to form the shape of a ball or whatever it was created to become. Trinity had nearly forgotten about the little marvel, it wasn't the kind of thing she spent time practicing and it wasn't really anything she had time for these days.

And yet, all at once she realized she had been reworking the wards into something similar. They had formed a web-work of energy that she tugged at carefully watching it compress in and out. It was a far cry from the masterfully crafted thing it had once been, but given time Trinity promised herself that she could perhaps repair it further.

Right now, there was no longer time to waste, she could feel it. So with a brief sigh Trinity pulled together all the fibers of magical force as tightly as she could and then released them outwards. The spell-woven strands exploded, stretching and springing with a surge of flexibility. Trinity rode the wave of magic back up, her focus slowly returning as she opened her eyes.

Camden was above her, riding on the back of Silver-Claws, frantically fighting to defend the new friend he had found in the young orphaned dragon. Before her she could see both Mal, this kindly old knight that fortune had led them to fighting side by side with the king himself. The paired protectors were valiantly defending her from the self-same creature that sought them outside the Vault.

Her heart warmed to see such sights, fear faltered in the face of the hope that was being carried inside her. Trinity could feel the wards she had worked as they returned to life. It was time to see just how well she done, and if it would work at all.

Luck Of The Claw - Episode 46.

- Episode 46 -

Camden clung desperately to Silver-Claws back as the young dragon endlessly kept moving, dodging blows and hastily flung dragon-fire. At times it was all he could do to hang on, trusting to his companion to keep him safe as they maneuvered through the air. Claws tore through the air to rend and rake at Camden, but only found waiting shield and jack resisting them.

If only Silver-Claws could catch all of them with his breath, Camden was sure that it could end this whole ordeal quickly. The only problem was that there was still enough dragons moving around them that there was no way Silver-Claws could envelop all of them at once. Every time the dragon loosed a blast of his vicious cold-fire it seemed to tire or lessen him somewhat. As powerful as it was it only made sense to Camden that it would take a lot out of Silver-Claws to summon up such a potent attack. It wasn't the kind of thing he could maintain indefinitely, otherwise he would have been doing it none stop.

"Oh, great; now I am starting to think like Trinity," Camden thought to himself. Here he was in the middle of battle riding on the back of a dragon of all things and he was even thinking things through. Surely his sister hadn't used that magic of hers on him, had she? He would have to save all this thinking stuff for later, right now he had to keep buying her time.

Below him, Mal and the King were still battling the black beast using the steel of their skilled blades as capable as any shield to defend Trinity. Cautiously Mal kept himself between his fearsome foe and his charge, patiently parrying blow after blow. Every time the creature attempted to charge forward it found itself rebounding off edged steel.

It was becoming furiously frustrating; before it was the one thing that it could feel as sure a threat as anything to it's freedom. And yet it remained just out of reach, thwarted by a pair of irritations. A dark rage began to consume what was left of the creatures mind as desperation demanded the removal of this obstruction.

Both pairs of clawed hands exploded towards the King, followed instantly by snapping jaws that sought their way towards Mal. It was just the kind of reckless gambit the old knight had been waiting for, and one he hoped he could still manage to take advantage of. Perhaps he had became just a tad bit rusty after all.

Luck Of The Claw - Episode 45.

- Episode 45 -

Mal studied the charging beasts movements as it came at them, carefully looking for anything he could use against the creature. While it moved fast, seemingly reckless in a headlong rush it was different this time around - more cautious. It had been harmed before, and clearly seemed to remember the experience. Trinity seemed to be it's intended target, but the monster wasn't ignoring him or Tonniel either; perhaps it was learning. Mal would have to be careful, if that was the case he couldn't rely on the same tricks working a second time around. It was all the same to him however, he would just have to dust off a few other ones.

"By the authority of his majesty, King Rainborne, I hereby give you fair warning and order you to halt or forfeit your life." The ground at Mal's feet shuddered violently as the creatures clawed fists slammed into it, barely missing him as it continued it's assault. "Didn't think you'd take it," Mal remarked, mostly to himself. With a tilt of his broad blade he shifted his footing and took a short step to keep a defensive barrier between them.

Narrowing his gaze Mal let his instincts rise from the back of his mind and allowed himself to sink down into a deep quiet. His hands set themselves to motion, moving in tightly controlled series of blocks and parries that kept his guard strong. Patience was key, he knew, this was not the kind of fight that would end quickly unless he was foolish and he couldn't afford to be that.

"Oh, quit toying with the thing," Tonniel exclaimed as he moved forward to join the fray. With a surge of swirling swiped strikes the king circled in towards the monster his own blade a deadly arc of spinning steel. "Cower before the king," Tonniel roared, a sense of triumph in his tone. The beasts claws clanged off the feverishly flung weapon and it screeched back it's own challenge.

So caught up in his own attack Tonniel had taken his attention off the creatures other clawed hand leaving Mal alone to intercept the sinister blow. Power answered his call from within the blade as he rolled it into a strong arc that met the deadly digits with a crackle. Tonniel wouldn't need any reprimand, it was already written upon his face that he had misjudged his hasty attack.

Riding her will down through her staff, Trinity focused her mind deeper and deeper into the weakened wards of Oakhelm Keep. She had to have faith that her brother and Mal could protect her long enough to work, there was no time to spare worrying over it. Magic flowed around her like a waiting song, it's words somehow out of rhythm now.

And then Trinity could hear it, a voice pure and peaceful as a tumbling snowflake drifting down beside her. The silver and ivory pendant dangling from her neck began to glow with a warmness that held the promise of tender kindness. Trinity was no longer alone, she could feel it now; she had never really been alone. That is what she had been carrying all along - it wasn't a book of magic at all. It was the gift of the Unicorn's essence itself, the very Unicorn's spirit that even now was walking with her trying to help.

Born from the very presence of the Unicorn, hope began to flood through Trinity's heart, filling it with song.